The preparation of the acetals of a number of pyrrole mono- and dicarboxaldehydes is described. It is shown that, provided the reactivity of the unsubstituted ring positions on the pyrrole nucleus is not too low, a carboxyaldehyde or a carbonitrile group may be substituted onto the pyrrole ring using the Vilsmeier reaction or chlorosulfonyl isocyanate respectively. Vilsmeier formylation of the diacetal, 2,4-di(5,5-dimethyl- 1,3-dioxan-2-yl)-pyrrole, followed by hydrolysis gave pyrrole-2,3,5-tricarboxaldehyde.